Rear Hub Removal

Hello

I decided a few months ago it was time to get a proper bike, a 2003 vfr800 VTEC! Now its winter I decided I'll get a few jobs done before winter hits and it gets too cold to play in the garage. The first job I wanted to tackle was the rear hub, mainly because I cannot adjust the chain due to some dirt jamming the mechanism.

So far I removed the wheel, took the brake calliper and torsion bar off so all is left to do is undo the big nut....which does not want to budge no matter how much force I put on the breaker bar! Now common sense says "why not take the bike to work and use the air wrench" well seen as I don't have tax on the bike its not that simple.

My idea was to use the biggest breaker bar I could get my hands on (3/4" drive breaker bar) but that doesn't seem to help because its turning the engine over with the amount of force I'm using instead of turning the nut..... So can someone shed some light on how to get this thing undone? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Make sure you un-stake the nut first. I had someone sit on the bike when it was on the ground with the brakes on to get mine loose. After I got it loose, then I put it on the stands and started taking it apart. I torqued it the same way (with someone on it with the brakes on).

Ah I'll get it back together and find someone to sit on it. Thank you for the advice.

Another tip --- I made the monster anti torque device below, just an 8 foot oak plank with the lug pattern drilled into it. Just mount it on with the lugnuts. It saves the

hassle of standing on the brakes. Does the job. The ol' necessity is the mother of invention...

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and do not forget to re-stake the nut!

and pictures!! we want pictures!! even if we've seen it all before!! :-)

Thank you all, I'll get as many pictures as ! Now its day time I can now see what I'm doing

If you can't undo it with a breaker bar the only way is with a impact driver, even with the breaker bar before you try spay the nut/shaft with a penetrate spray & leave for a few hours before you try. My hub had play due to worn bearings because honda feel grease is that expensive they don't use much. My nut was also very suborn but I have a impact driver so that was the cure. You will also find your hub axle & the hub itself will be very painful to remove my axle didn't want to push out I had to leave nut end of axle & then use block wood & hit with sledge hammer I'm not joking. If your hub not moving the recess inside will be full of grit that acts like glue trying to remove it. I ended up replacing the complete hub ass, you should also replace the nut with a new one & the large cir-clip just to be safe.

I got it off, I asked my neighbour to give it ago while I sat on the bike. A couple of taps with a rubber mallet and the axle came out with ease. Pictures to follow.

As promised, some pictures!

I decided it was time to strip down the rear drive and to give it a good clean, the first time I tried to do this it didn't go to plan. I would either lift the back end off the ground or turn the engine over! So this afternoon it was round 2, and this time I had someone to help (my neighbour). I sat on the bike whilst he used the breaker bar.

This was the but in question

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Once it was loose it was time to start taking things off, 1st up was getting the rim and rear caliper off.

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Next job was to undo the chain guard, removing the chain and then undoing the pinch bolt. I also removed the axle nut after giving it a few taps with the rubber mallet.

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Once that was done I removed the sprocket/cush drive assembly.

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Then I removed the axle and hub assembly. Didn't realize how much tar was stuck to the mud guard, won't be there for long!

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Now it was time to get the offset drum thingy and caliper mount off. Damn that circlip is big!

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All is needed at the no is to clean up all the parts, well get the corrosion off anyway!

Cleaning time!! Here I set everything out ready to be cleaned and inspected for damage/faulty bearings.

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The one thing I found, as was mentioned earlier, the bearings and axle were very dry.

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But not anymore, no such thing as too much grease! This should last for quite a while...I hope!

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When I go to work tomorrow I'll get a new axle nut and 75mm circlip, hopefully we have them instock. Then take some more pictures of reassembling it.

And a new rear sprocket !

Yeah I need a new chain too, I need to get it rolling so its going to be put back on for now.

I like mellow dudes invention, although I wonder if 3/4 inch plywood would work also(much cheaper). Needle bearings like fluidity more than grease, other wise they will flat spot. Learned this with offroad linkage systems. a combo of 90 weight MARINE gear oil, and a little water proof grease works well.

spud786

I like mellow dudes invention, although I wonder if 3/4 inch plywood would work also(much cheaper). Needle bearings like fluidity more than grease, other wise they will flat spot. Learned this with offroad linkage systems. a combo of 90 weight MARINE gear oil, and a little water proof grease works well.

I plan on replacing mine this winter, Spud 50\50 ratio ?

Ah ok, I'll get some 90 weight gear oil then

spud786

I like mellow dudes invention, although I wonder if 3/4 inch plywood would work also(much cheaper).

Thanks spud, I would think anything would work, mine was just extra I had laying around.

Peace....

Well my new circlip and axle nut has arrived so hopefully I can rebuild the back end when I get home. Knowing my luck it will be too dark to see what I'm doing!

Ah! your "garage" is line mine.... the garden?

No, just as cold though. We have a garage on the other side of the road but it has no electric or heating. I have to use an extension to go across the road and then pinch a lamp from the house just for a light! when its daytime I park the bike on the foot path outside the house just so I can use the hose!

Woohoo all done :) all bolts tight and all parts back where they belong.

And you staked the nut........

Yep, i also torqued it upto 205nms. I dug out an old flat headed screwdriver and a hammer to stake it..I don't think that nut will be moving for a while

Bump, because this is a great thread and my axle nut just started backing out.

Just to add to it, you will need a 46mm socket and torque to 152ft/lbs.

Probably going to want a 3/4 inch 6 point impact socket, a big ass 3/4 breaker bar or impact driver and a big torque wrench that reads over 200 ft/lbs.

Out of interest, how did you stop the rear wheel from rotating? I didn't have brakes when I came to do mine, and didn't want to put a bar through the wheel to prevent rotation.

It is either that or put it in gear and let the chain/gearbox take the strain.........

6 hours ago, Loftust

Out of interest, how did you stop the rear wheel from rotating? I didn't have brakes when I came to do mine, and didn't want to put a bar through the wheel to prevent rotation.

I put mine in 1st gear and had my wife sit on it while holding both brakes, then broke all the nuts and bolts loose, before putting it on the stand and removing the wheel/caliper/chain/sprocket etc...

First gear alone might be enough with a good impact gun, but without an impact you will probably want/need to have a buddy sit and mash the brakes.

Roger - thanks for the info  :smile: